You know what would be fantastic??? It's be fantastic if I had no job security, if one day all the lunatics in charge (including our lunatics in charge) just said, "You know what? We quit. Fuck wars, terrorism, hunger, man's general inhumanity to man. Fuck it all, let's just be." Man that would be great. Of course, I'd have to find a job that I could actually quit if I wanted, but I'd give up the 12 hours days, deployments, missed holidays, missed family, missed friends, and missed opportunities for utopia.
Unfortunately, every time I check my e-mail I'm reminded that I still have a job. There's still things going on in the world that need to be done, people that need to be dealt with. Another American hostage, another blown up pipeline, another car bomb, another plot, another rogue nation building nukes. We can't all just get along. We're not wired that way.
So tomorrow (my tomorrow, not yours) the 17th of June is the 13 year anniversary of my enlistment. 13 years. Sometimes I feel like that scared 19 year old kid that just got of the bus and had the first of many ass chewings. Over the years, and through a few assignments, I've often thought about what my life would be like if I hadn't enlisted. If I'd just stayed in Ohio, flipping pizzas and going no where. Would I be married? Kids? Decent job with a good wage and benefits? Would I be longing for something else, something different? Who knows. I'll never find that out. I considered getting out on more than one occasion, just saying "Fuck it, there's a better way to make a living." And there probably are much better ways to make a living. I don't do what I do to make a living. The money is definitely better now than it was 13 years ago, don't get me wrong. But I'd probably still be right where I am, doing just what I'm doing, if I got paid half as much. I've got a job to do.
Whew! Sorry for the long post. I think that one was the longest since I've been here. If you got to the end, I bet I know who you are, and you get a big gold star for the day. I'm out, I have a book to read. With all sincerity, I wish you all the best, and I'll be here if you need me.
Edited to say sorry, it actually is your tomorrow. I'm kinda dumb, sometimes.
Unfortunately, every time I check my e-mail I'm reminded that I still have a job. There's still things going on in the world that need to be done, people that need to be dealt with. Another American hostage, another blown up pipeline, another car bomb, another plot, another rogue nation building nukes. We can't all just get along. We're not wired that way.
So tomorrow (my tomorrow, not yours) the 17th of June is the 13 year anniversary of my enlistment. 13 years. Sometimes I feel like that scared 19 year old kid that just got of the bus and had the first of many ass chewings. Over the years, and through a few assignments, I've often thought about what my life would be like if I hadn't enlisted. If I'd just stayed in Ohio, flipping pizzas and going no where. Would I be married? Kids? Decent job with a good wage and benefits? Would I be longing for something else, something different? Who knows. I'll never find that out. I considered getting out on more than one occasion, just saying "Fuck it, there's a better way to make a living." And there probably are much better ways to make a living. I don't do what I do to make a living. The money is definitely better now than it was 13 years ago, don't get me wrong. But I'd probably still be right where I am, doing just what I'm doing, if I got paid half as much. I've got a job to do.
Whew! Sorry for the long post. I think that one was the longest since I've been here. If you got to the end, I bet I know who you are, and you get a big gold star for the day. I'm out, I have a book to read. With all sincerity, I wish you all the best, and I'll be here if you need me.
Edited to say sorry, it actually is your tomorrow. I'm kinda dumb, sometimes.
VIEW 26 of 26 COMMENTS
G'night sweetheart. Dream well...